


Nobody Knows We Love

by pseuicide



Series: What's Love Got to Do With It? [2]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prostitution, Angst and Porn, Coming Out, Daddy Kink, Explicit Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Leo is outed against his will, M/M, Outing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-05-10 00:44:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5562241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pseuicide/pseuds/pseuicide
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leo's first indication that something was very wrong came when he saw 27 missed calls on his phone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to write a sequel to What's Love Got to Do With It! Hope you guys enjoy! 
> 
> Find me on [tumblr!](http://lionaldo.tumblr.com)

Leo's first indication that something was very wrong came when he saw 27 missed calls on his phone.

Panic welled up in him immediately, his first thought being that someone had died or had an accident. But the text that popped up as he scrolled through his list of missed calls put that to rest.

**Cristiano:**  
_Daddy, please pick up. I swear I didn't have anything to do with this, I don't know why the papers are saying I released everything. I would never do that, you have to believe me, papi._

His head swam. Dizzily, he sat down on the bench, tapping on the link to the article his brother had sent with trembling fingers.

Leo felt nausea welling up in his belly. The pictures, while thankfully not very explicit, were nonetheless damning. Him and Cristiano cuddled up in bed, Cris asleep on what was clearly Leo's couch, Leo's tattooed arm sprawled across Cristiano's naked chest. There were more risque ones as well that Cristiano had sent to him while Leo was away for matches, of him sprawled on his stomach wearing Leo's socks and jersey, his bare ass sticking up in the air, a sexy little pout on his face as he gazed hotly into the camera. Leo remembered receiving those pictures when he'd been alone in his hotel room, horny, sending dirty texts to his boyfriend, asking him to give him something to 'keep him warm.' There were even a few screen shots of texts that Leo had saved - Cristiano's cute little 'I love you, daddy' texts stuffed full of heart and kiss emojis that Leo liked to look at whenever he was feeling lonely in the hotel during away games.

And worst of all, there was a picture of Leo, from the waist down, dressed only in his underwear with the outline of his hard cock clearly visible through the white fabric. The tattoos on his arm and leg were clearly visible in the shot, so there was no chance of denying it was him.

A call popped up on the screen. It was Cristiano, again. Shakily, he hit ignore - he didn't think he was capable of speaking to anyone at the moment.

A sick feeling had settled in the pit of his stomach. Confusion, humiliation, fear, all tangled up in a knotted web. Doubt was there too, but Leo dismissed it - Cris would never betray him that way. The papers were wrong, they had to be.

The other players were looking at him worriedly, murmuring among themselves. By now they were probably aware of what was happening. Leo wanted to vomit.

**Cristiano:**  
_Leo, please believe me, please. I would never do that to you, I love you too much. Please answer me._

Leo ran a hand through his hair, pulling at the strands roughly. This couldn't be real. It was just a nightmare - he was asleep in his bed having a bad dream and he'd wake up at any moment, cuddle up to Cris, nuzzle into that soft, coconut-scented neck and everything would be all right.

"Leo."

Leo jumped, wildly turning to gaze at Lucho. The coach's expression was unreadable. "You need to go now, the press will be swarming this place at any minute. Go home and stay there as long as you can. We'll work this out once the media storm dies down." The older man walked over to him and leaned down, speaking quietly.

"Are you all right?" he asked concernedly. Leo knew he must have been white as a sheet. He was still sweaty from practice, having checked his phone before anything. He wouldn't have time to shower, he needed to leave right away before the press descended on Camp Nou like locusts.

He couldn't speak. His tongue felt thick and heavy in his mouth, like it was weighted down with lead. Shakily, he nodded. "Get Luis to drive you, you don't look in any state to be behind the wheel."

Leo shook his head rapidly. He didn't think he could bear being trapped in a car with any of his teammates right now, not after being so humiliated and exposed. None of them had known about his relationship with Cristiano and now they had found out in the most embarrassing way possible. Leo wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out.

Clumsily, he grabbed his gear and bolted out of the locker room, ignoring the shouts of his teammates. He couldn't look at any of them, just shook them off as they attempted to stop him, practically running out to his car. How was he ever going to face them again after they'd seen those pictures of him? How was he going to face anyone? Cristiano would be waiting for him, he knew. Leo didn't even think he could face his boyfriend. He wanted more than anything to be alone, but where could he go that he wouldn't be swarmed by paparazzi? He had no choice but to hide in his house.

The drive home was the longest drive of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

The second he walked through the door Cristiano was on him.

"Leo," he said, sniffling, eyes red and puffy from crying. "I didn't release the pictures. I've never even seen the screenshots of those texts! The papers are lying, they're just trying to cover themselves so they don't get sued. You have to believe me, I wouldn't do that, I wouldn't - "

"Shhh," Leo soothed, letting Cristiano hug him tight and cry into his hair. He seemed so distraught, moreso than Leo even. It must have been terrible for him to be accused of betraying Leo's trust that way. "I believe you."

Cristiano wouldn't do that to him. The pictures hadn't even come from his phone - they'd been discovered in Leo's. He had no idea how they could have gotten out - a hacker, maybe? Leo buried his face in Cristiano's shoulder and breathed in the scent of him, rubbing his back soothingly. 

"My mother doesn't know about us. She doesn't know about me - about what I did before I met you," Cristiano said tearfully. "What are we going to do, Leo?"

"I don't know, baby. We'll figure it out," Leo said shakily. He felt like crying along with Cris, but he needed to be strong. Cristiano's sordid past was about to become public knowledge and Leo needed to support him through everything - the old clients going to the press, his name being dragged through the mud, his mother finding out that her baby boy had been a prostitute. This was going to affect Cris as much as Leo. He felt worse suddenly, knowing that the man he loved was going to be ridiculed and abused by the media.

Leo clutched Cristiano tighter, stroking his back until his crying quieted. 

"I turned off the phone. It wouldn't stop ringing," Cristiano said softly. "Your mom left you a bunch of messages."

"I know. Everyone's been trying to reach me. I just ... I don't want to talk to anyone right now," he admitted. Cristiano nodded, sniffling again and wiping the tears from his eyes. 

"Yeah. Let's go sit down, maybe watch a movie. We can deal with all of this once we've calmed down a bit," Cristiano murmured, pulled Leo over to the couch. The thought of ever having to leave the house again filled him with dread. He wanted to hide here with Cristiano forever. But he couldn't avoid his family, his friends, his teammates. He'd have to talk to the press, or at least release a statement. How was he going to face the press? Or the fans? Away games would be even more of a nightmare than usual.

He let Cristiano cuddle up close to him, reaching up to twirl his finger around his boyfriend's springy curls. He'd deal with it all tomorrow. Tonight, he was going to hold Cristiano tight and pretend the world outside didn't exist.


	3. Chapter 3

**LIONEL MESSI IN GAY SEX SCANDAL! SEE THE PICTURES INSIDE!**

**THE 25 HOTTEST PICTURES OF MESSI'S NEW BOYTOY!**

**MESSI'S MYSTERY MAN! WHO IS HE? FIND OUT HERE!**

_SCANDAL!: The footballing world was rocked on Tuesday by the news that FC Barcelona superstar forward Lionel Messi has been having a torrid affair with a man! We've tracked down the mystery man's instagram and discovered that he's a 20-year-old University student named Cristiano. Nothing else is known about the sizzling Portuguese at this time, but we -_

Leo slammed his laptop shut. The news was everywhere - it had even traveled to the US where every single gossip site seemed to be reporting every single detail with breathless enthusiasm. He'd had a new phone rush delivered due to the overload of calls and texts killing his old one. The landline would have to be changed eventually, too, but he'd decided that could wait. In the mean time he'd been relying on a cheap burner phone to finally call his mother.

Who'd been crying since she'd picked up and didn't seem to be planning on stopping any time soon.

"Mama, please. Please don't cry," Leo pleaded. Hearing her tearful voice in his ear made him feel like the worst person on earth.

"Why didn't you tell me, Leo? I had to find out like this, in the tabloids? You can tell me anything, you know that - or I thought you knew that - but you hid this from me for how long, Leo? How long?" she asked shakily, continuing to cry into the phone. Leo scrubbed a hand down his face, trying to hold back his own tears. 

"Please, mama. I just didn't know how to tell you. I didn't mean to hurt you, I swear," Leo said with a tremulous sigh.

Celia took a deep breath as if she was trying to calm herself, but Leo could hear her shaky sobs start up all over again on the other end of the line. His heart twisted in his chest, tears brimming in his eyes at causing his mother so much grief. "Who is this boy? He looks so young, Leo. How old is he? Who is he? Where is he from? Do you know anything about him?"

"Of course I know him, mama. We've been together for almost a year now," he admitted, wincing when his mother let out a disbelieving wail. "Mama, please. Please listen to me. He's a good, kind man and I lo - I love him. And he loves me," he said steadily.

"But who is he? Where does he come from? Tell me, Leo, I want to know who this boy is," his mother demanded.

"Mama. His name is Cristiano Dos Santos Aveiro. He's from Portugal, he's a student at University, he's - he's 20," Leo admitted quietly.

"20!" Celia cried. "You're almost 30! Where did you even meet him?"

Leo put a hand over his face, cringing. He couldn't tell his mother he'd picked Cristiano up on a street corner and paid him for sex. He just couldn't.

But the truth would come out. And she'd find out in the papers again and that would be worse.

"I - mama, you won't like it," he said warningly. Celia started to cry again and Leo tugged at his hair in frustration. "I couldn't sleep one night so I went for a drive and I got - got turned around into the bad part of the city. And he was - he was there on the street and I - I picked him up."

"My god! Oh my god, Lionel. Please tell me you aren't saying what I think you're saying," Celia exclaimed. 

Leo felt like he was going to be sick. His head was swimming, his vision clouding with tears, his throat feeling like he'd tried to swallow a rock. "I didn't mean to! He looked sad and I - I wanted to help him! Please, mama. He doesn't do it anymore, I made him stop. He's a student now, he has his own apartment - "

" - which I'm sure you pay for," his mother cut in. Leo sighed. "I've seen the pictures from his instagram, Leo. He wears a lot of very expensive clothes and jewelry, doesn't he? Things that a university student would never be able to afford. And I also saw those texts between the two of you - Leo, you're a grown man now and what you do in your bedroom is your business - but I don't want to see my son taken advantage of."

"Mama, he isn't a gold digger, if that's what you're thinking. He never asks me for anything, I buy him those things because I love him."

He heard Celia sigh heavily on the other end of the line. "Leo, has this boy been tested for diseases?"

Leo frowned into the phone. "He doesn't have any diseases, mama! We've both been tested. We're safe, I promise."

"I can't believe you picked up a prostitute. He could have robbed or killed you!" Celia cried. "You're lucky, Leo, very lucky that he wasn't dangerous."

"I know, mama, I now. But he's a sweet man. He's kind and generous. I know you'd love him if you gave him a chance," Leo said quietly. 

Celia sighed. "I'm not ready for that, Leo. Your father is a wreck. Your brothers ... well, it's just very stressful here. We all still love you, Leo. But you have to understand that it will take some time for things to go back to normal."

Leo blinked back tears. "I know, mama."

"I have to go. I love you," Celia said softly.

"I love you too, mama."

He stared at his phone for a moment after hanging up, quickly turning when he heard Cristiano's soft voice ring out from behind him. "Leo?"

He turned back around, tossing his phone onto the desk. Cristiano padded into the room, leaning down and wrapping his arms around Leo from behind. "Your mother ... she didn't take it well?"

"Better than I expected ... but that isn't saying much," Leo muttered, stroking Cristiano's arm gently. "She'll - she'll come around," he said softly. He wasn't sure if he believed what he was saying.

"My mother won't talk to me. I tried, but she just - she just cries and hangs up. My oldest sister, she told me that my mother hasn't stopped crying since she saw the papers," he sighed, burying his face in Leo's shoulder. Leo heard him sniffle quietly. "My brother won't talk to me either."

"They just need time. We all do," Leo said quietly, stroking Cristiano's dark curls. "It's a lot to digest all at once, baby."

"I'm sorry I caused all this. It's all my fault, I shouldn't have come up to your car that night - " he said tearfully. Leo cut him off, turning in his chair and cupping Cristiano's face. 

"Don't say that," he said firmly. "This is no one's fault but the person who released those pictures. I love you, baby, and I don't regret anything we've done." Cristiano nodded, sniffling and letting Leo wipe his tears away. The younger man sat down in his lap, sliding his arms around Leo's neck while Leo breathed in the scent of him and rubbed his back soothingly. 

"You have training tomorrow," he said quietly. Leo nodded. He was dreading facing the team - he didn't know how any of them were going to react. And the press would be swarming like vultures over a fresh animal carcass. "Are you going to be ok?"

Leo didn't know how to respond. He tightened his hold on Cristiano, kissing his long neck gently. "I hope so, baby. I really hope so."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo's first practice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun! Drama! Hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> Find me on [tumblr!](http://lionaldo.tumblr.com)

Practice the next day was ... quiet. Everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells, unsure of how to approach him. Cameras had thankfully been banned from this particular training so he at least didn't have to worry about tabloids blowing up the awkwardness of his teammates. Nobody was outright hostile ... but it was as if he was brand new to the team. He no longer felt like he fit into the Barca dynamic. 

Geri, unsurprisingly, was the one to break the ice.

"So, Pulga. Pretty little thing, isn't he?" Geri asked with a grin and a playful eyebrow waggle. "Nicely done, man." 

"Shut up, Geri," Leo said good naturedly, smiling for the first time in days. 

After that it was a bit less awkward, though he did have to put up with some friendly teasing about the age difference between him and Cris - Geri in particular took great delight in calling him a cradle robber. Leo nutmegged him at every opportunity as revenge. Masche and Andres gave him pats on the back as their way of letting him know they supported him. Luis and Neymar - particularly Neymar - were a bit more standoffish, though not cold. Leo supposed they'd take a bit more time to come around. Especially with Ney being so religious - maybe he disapproved of Leo being in a relationship with a man? 

It was even more awkward with him in the locker room. He refused to even look in Leo's direction. Leo himself was careful to keep his eyes on the floor - he showered and changed as quickly as possible, not wanting to make anyone uncomfortable. If made a knot settle in his belly that his teammates might be uneasy around him now. He was lost in his thoughts when Luis approached. 

"Leo," he started carefully, shifting from foot to foot. "You know we're all here for you, right?"

Leo nodded. "I know, Luisito," he said gratefully, patting Luis' shoulder. "It's just awkward, for all of us."

"Yeah - I mean, it's just - well," Luis trailed off, rocking on his heels. "It's just - this kind of came out of nowhere, Leo. You know? There were never any hints or anything. And this guy, he's not - not what any of us would have expected even if we'd ever thought about you being with a - a guy. Where did he even come from, Leo?"

Leo sighed, wanting to bang his head against the locker. Telling his mother was bad enough, but telling his teammates too? But they'd find out, and Leo had had enough of lying. "He's - he was - a hooker," Leo said bluntly. 

Luis stared at him, then burst into hysterical laughter. "Leo - come on, man. Really, where did you meet him? Was he a fan or something?"

"I'm serious, Luis," Leo said, staring into Luis' eyes. The laughter died down quickly as Luis leaned in, eyes wide. 

"You - Leo, you picked up a hooker?" he hissed, eyes round as saucers. 

"I didn't mean to! I got lost on the bad side of town and he was there and he looked so lost and I - " Leo cut himself off forcefully. Luis didn't need to know the details. "He stopped. A long time ago. We're both completely healthy, we got tested, so don't don't ask about that, ok? He's a really nice guy, Luisito. He was only doing it to take care of his family."

Luis nodded, shifting on his feet again. "Well, Leo ... as long as he's good to you, you know? You've seemed a lot happier lately. Lighter. But if he breaks your heart I'll kick his ass," Luis said with a smile and a nudge. Leo shoved him playfully.

"Thanks, Luis. Are the other guys - are they ... you know, uncomfortable? With me?" Leo asked slowly, glancing away.

"No ... I mean - it's just a little weird, Leo. But just give it time, things will go back to normal eventually. Everyone here loves you, that won't change," Luis said firmly. "Your mom and dad, how did they take the news?"

Leo sighed heavily. "Not as bad as I was expecting, but not great either," he said honestly, shaking his head. "My father won't talk to me. Neither will my brothers."

Luis bit the inside of his cheek, patting Leo on the shoulder. "Just give them time, Leo. They'll come around."

Leo nodded. "Yeah," he said softly. Luis patted his shoulder again before trotting off, leaving Leo alone at his locker. Neymar was still there, gathering his things with more force than necessary. Leo sighed and walked over to him - ignoring this problem wouldn't make it go away, and he needed to deal with it, tell Neymar that he was entitled to his beliefs but he needed to be professional no matter what. They were alone in the locker room, the squeak of his shoes on the floor so loud it made Leo wince a bit.

"Ney, we need to talk," Leo started. Neymar slammed his locker shut and whirled around to face Leo. The look that greeted him was shocking - Leo had been expecting anger, disgust maybe, but not hurt. Neymar had tears in his hazel eyes, his face a wounded mask. "Ney ..." Leo said in surprise, taking a step back.

"I don't want to talk to you," Neymar bit out, lips quivering for a moment before he started to stalk off toward the door. Leo followed, grabbing Neymar's wrist to stop him from leaving.

"Ney! What's wrong?" Leo asked, refusing to let go of Neymar even when he tried to tug his arm out of Leo's grip. 

"Nothing!" Neymar said harshly, openly crying now. Leo's heart sank. "Why - why him?" the young Brazilian asked, finally managing to free himself. "Why not - " he stopped himself. He didn't have to finish the sentence for Leo to figure out what he meant - _why not me_? It hung heavy in the air, the unfinished question written all over Neymar's heartbroken face. Neymar only stayed for another moment before staggering out of the locker room and practically running down the hall away from Leo, leaving Leo standing alone dumbfounded. 

It wasn't as if Leo was the most observant man on earth - he'd been called oblivious more than once - but he hadn't had a clue how Neymar really felt about him. The constant touching and hugging - Leo had chalked it up to hero worship. He hadn't even known that Neymar liked men. 

Leo's head swam. He felt like a total asshole. He was - his phone buzzed with a message.

 **Cris** :  
_Daddy, when are you going to be home? I'm hungry and you promised to make dinner :(_

Leo sighed heavily. How was he going to tell Cristiano? _Was_ he even going to tell Cristiano? He couldn't imagine his little drama queen taking it very well at all. Leo and Neymar spent so much time together - would it make Cris insecure? 

He'd figure it out later. For now, he needed to get home to his boyfriend.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo's first game after the news breaks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first game after everyone finds out about Leo and Cris! Contains mentions of homophobic slurs, though none appear on screen. Mostly dialogue in this chapter, hope you guys enjoy!

His first game after the news broke was an away game, and it went about as badly as everyone had expected.

The players had been instructed to ignore any and all taunts and insults - and it wasn't as if Leo wasn't used to away crowds trying to rattle him, but since the revelation of his sexuality it had seemed to take on a virulent nastiness that Leo hadn't been prepared for.

He responded to it all by scoring a hat trick.

It quieted the crowd slightly - what had been a deafening roar had trickled down to a few persistent voices shouting the typical slurs, and it was easy enough to block that out. What worried Leo more was his lack of chemistry with Neymar. The Brazilian seemed to be avoiding any and all interaction with him, even going so far as to pass away the balls Leo served to him on a silver platter, instead sending them over to Ivan and Geri and anyone else he could find. The game was out of reach for the other team and any goals were just icing at this point, but Leo had never known Neymar to be so uncaring about scoring regardless of what the scoreline was. The final whistle blowing was a sweet sound, and Leo trudged off the field amidst taunting shouts of 'daddy!' and 'cradle-robber!' and meaner, more vulgar words. 

It was blissfully quiet in the locker room.

"Great way to shut them up, Pulga," Geri said happily. Luis came over to congratulate him as well, wrapping an arm around him and ruffling his hair until Leo pushed him away laughing.

"You know I like to do my talking on the pitch," Leo said. He was buzzing from the hat trick, even if his excitement was dampened a bit by his trouble with Neymar. Leo didn't really know what to do - Neymar was nice, and cute, but Leo didn't feel that way about him, and he had the love of his life in Cristiano waiting at home for him. Any chance to talk to Ney was snatched away when the other man bolted away without even showering, just changing into his street clothes and grabbing his things before stalking out to his car. Luis must have noticed the rift, because he patted Leo on the back and reassured him that Neymar would come around.

He probably thought Neymar was uncomfortable because of Leo's sexuality. Leo wasn't going to correct him - it wasn't his place to out Neymar. 

Leo hoped he'd be able to make peace with - with whatever it was that was upsetting him so much. His unrequited love for Leo? He was so religious, maybe he wasn't handling being attracted to men very well? 

Leo's outing had started a chain reaction in the sport world - two footballers had come out within days of the news about Leo and Cristiano. It was happening in other sports as well - a basketball player and an American footballers had also revealed their sexuality. Adidas had started a new campaign in support of him, promising that they wouldn't terminate their contracts with any of their gay or bisexual athletes. It was heartening, if a bit overwhelming, seeing so many people calling him a trailblazer and an inspiration. He didn't feel much like either - it wasn't as if he had chosen to come out. He didn't even have any plans to, at least not until long after he'd retired. He'd been scared, too scared to reveal his love for Cristiano while there was still a chance for it to affect his career. And now so many people were praising him for his bravery ... it made him feel like a fraud. He wasn't brave. Not at all.

Leo sighed. All he wanted was to get home to Cristiano.

But first he had to face the press.

**

He'd been advised that the best way to deal with all this was to act it wasn't a big deal. Treat it like footballers treated getting a new girlfriend. 

But Leo wouldn't really have talked about a new girlfriend to pushy sports journalists.

"Leo, Leo! Where did you meet Cristiano?" "Leo, is it true Cristiano released those pictures of you?" "Leo, how do you think this will impact your career?" "Leo, how did your team mates react to the news?"

There were so many reporters, all clamoring to get his first comment after his forced outing. The guards were everywhere, more of them than Leo had ever seen in the mixed zone, trying to push the journalists back as they threatened to overwhelm Leo and crush him. They kept jostling with one another, elbowing each others mics and phones out of the way - in any other circumstance, Leo would have found it amusing.

"I'm only going to talk about the match," Leo said firmly. There was a murmur among the crowd of reporters, then an almost collective sigh of disappointment. It took a moment for any of the journalists to speak again.

"Leo, did you score that hat trick for Cristiano?" 

Leo groaned.

**

"God, I'm so glad to be home," Leo groaned, flopping onto the sofa beside Cristiano. Cris smiled at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, his lips warm and soft as they brushed against Leo's scruffy face.

"I saw the little conference you had after the match. I was a real hot topic, wasn't I?" Cristiano asked with a wry smile, his fingers moving through Leo's hair, letting the dark strands slip silkily under his hand. "People are just curious, daddy. This is kind of a big deal."

Leo sighed heavily, burying his face in Cristiano's neck and breathing in the scent of coconut that always seemed to be clinging to his tanned skin. "I know. I just hate all of the attention. I've never - I'm not - I don't - " he stops himself, groaning in frustration. "This is a nightmare. I hate talking to the press, hate having people pry into my personal life. I just want to hide here with you forever."

Cristiano smiled against his hair, skimming his soft hands down Leo's back. "I know, papi. I wish you could. But I think the best thing to do is live your life like normal. If you start trying to hide people will think you're ashamed."

Leo groaned again. "I know. Everyone keeps telling me that. It's just hard, baby. I'm not really the type to put my personal business out there, you know?"

Cristiano nodded, kneading Leo's tense shoulders. "Of course I know. But I think if you just go about your life like it's the same as always, everyone else will follow suit. Oh - and I have good news, papi," Cristiano said happily. Leo perked up a bit - good news these days was always welcome. "My mother called me and we talked for a long time. She's getting used to the idea of me being with you - she wants to come meet you, actually."

Leo hid his wince in Cristiano's shoulder. Meeting mothers was always awkward, doubly so when you were meeting them because you picked up her prostitute son on a street corner and then did the dumbest thing imaginable by falling in love with him. "I'm happy for you, baby," he said honestly. "I was worried about it - the last thing I want to do is come between you and your mother."

"I feel the same, Leo. Have you talked to your mom again since - since the last time?" Cristiano asked cautiously. Leo felt his stomach twist unpleasantly.

"Only once. It was ... awkward," he admitted softly, eyes downcast. Cristiano grabbed onto him tightly and nuzzled his hair, trying to comfort him. "It's all just really awkward."

"I know, papi. I'm sorry it's so hard for you," he murmured softly against Leo's ear, his soft lips brushing the lobe as he spoke, making Leo shiver slightly. "It'll all work out in the end, you'll see. How are your teammates dealing? I watched the match for a bit, Neymar seemed kind of ... distant," he said carefully. 

Leo hid his face again. He really didn't want to tell Cristiano about Neymar's apparently crush on him - it would only complicate things and make everything worse than it already was. He hated to lie, but he couldn't bring himself to tell the truth, either. Even as the words left his mouth he found his stomach dropping, knowing what he was doing was wrong. It would blow up in his face eventually, he was sure - that seemed to be how everything went these days - but the truth got stuck on the back of his tongue, and the lie was so much easier.

"He's fine. He's just so religious, you know. He'll get over it," he murmured softly, resting his chin on Cristiano's shoulder. He was glad Cris wasn't looking at him - he was sure his dishonesty was written all over his face. 

"Yeah, I'm sure he will," Cristiano said softly. "But I'm really hungry right now and there's paella in the kitchen. Come on and let's get some dinner," he chirped, tugging Leo off the couch. He put his issue with Neymar in the back of his mind for the time being.

He'd deal with it later. For now, he was going to have a quiet dinner with his beautiful boyfriend and pretend everything was perfect.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cristiano has the worst timing imaginable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drama! Hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> Find me on [tumblr!](http://lionaldo.tumblr.com)

They were supposed to act like it was normal. Like one of the world's most famous footballers being in love with a man was an average, every day occurrence. Treat Cristiano the way every footballer treated a new girlfriend.

"Are you sure it's going to be all right?" Cristiano asked nervously, fidgeting with his earrings. His bottom lip was bright red from where he'd been biting and sucking on it. 

"It's - I'm sure - we'll try to make it as normal as possible, ok?" Leo assured him. He wasn't sure he believed what he was saying. Due to security concerns, Cristiano was going to have to sit on the sidelines instead of in the stands with the other WAGs, and he'd been assigned two bodyguards of his own to keep him safe not just from the people who would want to harm him, but also from curious fans trying to get close. Leo felt sick that any of it was even necessary. He gripped Cristiano's hand and raised it to his lips, kissing his long tanned fingers lovingly. "Everything will be fine, baby. I promise."

Cristiano didn't look convinced, but he nodded, kissing the back of Leo's hand. "All right, daddy."

***

The home crowd, at least, wasn't nearly as hostile as the away crowd. The ovation he got when he walked onto the pitch was a bit overwhelming, causing tears to sting at his eyes. He blinked them away rapidly, then found them forming again when he saw the flags and banners. Rainbow flags were numerous in the crowd, as were the signs and banners supporting him. He felt overcome and awkward in equal measure, waving to the people yelling his name and waving their flags and scarves. All he could do was keep giving thumbs up as they shouted their love. Not everyone was so supportive, and Leo spotted more than one sour face in the stands, but those were few and far between. It was difficult to handle it, and Leo found himself heaving a huge sigh of relief when the whistle blew to start the game. 

This, at least, he knew how to deal with.

***

The game was won by a comfortable margin, with Leo scoring two goals of his own. Cristiano had looked so happy for him, cheering and clapping on the sidelines, and Leo had dedicated both of the goals to him by glancing over toward him and forming a little heart with his fingers. The crowd had aww'ed collectively, making Leo's ears turn pink, but he supposed that was far better than the homophobic slurs that had been hurled at him during the away game. He'd even gone so far as to stroke Cristiano's cheek as he'd passed by him on his way into the tunnel, though he still didn't have to nerve to kiss or hug him in public just yet. Even that simple touch had sent so many cameras flashing that Leo was blinded for a moment when he stepped into the darkened cover of the tunnel, and he had to grab the wall for support. Luis grabbed him and led him to the locker room, laughing all the way about his predicament. Leo shoved him fondly. 

Neymar seemed to be softening a bit. He still wasn't speaking to Leo, but he didn't rush out of the locker room this time, instead hanging around like he normally did. Both Andres and Luis had tried to smooth things over, but as far as Leo could tell, he'd refused to budge. It made a knot settle in the pit of Leo's belly - not only was it awkward for the team to be caught in the middle of it, but Leo found himself selfishly just missing his friend. The corny jokes, the hero worship, the teasing over Neymar's latest crazy hairstyle, all of it. 

He needed to talk to Ney.

He waited until the locker room emptied out, not wanting to do this with everyone watching while trying not to be obvious about the fact that they were watching, politely asking Neymar to stay behind. Surprisingly, the young Brazilian agreed, and Leo found himself shifting awkwardly from foot to foot while Neymar watched him with unreadable hazel eyes.

"Ney ... I don't really know how to do this. I'm not good with talking things out," he fumbled. Neymar stared at him steadily. Leo felt a flush creeping up his neck.

"There's nothing to say, Leo," Neymar said quickly, throwing his hands in the air. "You love that - that Portuguese guy," he said with a frown. "And you don't love me. God, I knew I should have said something sooner and then maybe we - we could - just forget it!" Neymar exclaimed with a sniffle, shoving past Leo and bolting into the hallway. Leo sighed in frustration and chased after him, following him into the thankfully empty hall and grabbing his wrist to keep him from running away.

"Ney, please," Leo pleaded, tugging Neymar around to face him. "I know I can't be with you the way you want, but we can still be friends, can't we?" he asks desperately, voice cracking. Neymar scoffed. 

"Do you know how hard it is to see you every day and not be able to touch you or hug or or kiss you? I'm in _love_ with you, Leo! And it kills me that you won't even - you never even gave me a chance," Neymar said, tears forming in his eyes. Leo threw up a hand.

"I didn't even know! I just thought it was hero worship, some kind of football crush or something! You never told me anything," he said roughly. "Neymar, please. I don't want to lose you as a friend."

"Leo, I don't know what to say. Or do. I don't know anything right now, it's just - it hurts too much, ok?" he asks, tears spilling down his cheeks now. Leo wanted to hug him to try to comfort him, but he didn't know if Neymar would welcome it or try to shove him away. He shifted awkwardly on his feet again, shaking his head. 

"I'm sorry, Ney. I wish there was something I could do," he murmured quietly. Neymar stared at him for a long moment.

"Just one, ok? Just one time, that's all I need," he mumbled brokenly. Brows knitting in confusion, Leo tilted his head and started to speak before he found his words muffled by Neymar's lips on his. It only lasted a second before Leo was pulling away, startled and overwhelmed.

There was a voice ringing from the other end of the hallway. "Oh my god," Cristiano mumbled, staring at Leo and Neymar in shock. 

"Baby -" Leo said softly, letting go of Neymar's wrist. Cristiano glared at him for a moment, then turned on his heel and stomped away. Neymar looked red in the face, utterly embarrassed and crushed, while Leo felt as if his stomach had dropped to his feet. 

"I have to go," Leo mumbled, running off after Cristiano desperately.

"Cristiano, wait!" he called out, breaking into a sprint to try to catch up with Cris and his long legs. He could see the younger man's retreating back stalking out of the arena, pushing through the journalists and reporters waiting to talk to him and the players. Leo found himself mobbed by them, security guards swarming in an attempt to fend them off. He lost sight of Cris in the mass of bodies but never stopped calling out for him. "Cris! Cristiano, wait, please!"

But Cristiano was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cris and Leo fight, but they work things out in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, guys! In this chapter there's plenty of drama, though. Fighting! And making up! Next chapter will contain sappy porn, so prepare your insulin now!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy the drama-rama!
> 
> Find me on [tumblr!](http://lionaldo.tumblr.com)

Leo wasn't the least bit surprised when he walked into the house to find his clothes strewn all over the floor. 

"Cris? Cristiano!" Leo shouted, hurriedly tearing through the house in search of the other man. He didn't have to look long - a furious Cristiano had come barreling out of the bedroom to stop him in his tracks. Cristiano's face was a mask of fury and hurt, his every emotion written across his handsome face.

"You asshole!" Cristiano shouted. Leo tried to speak, but was quickly shut down by Cristiano shoving him, so hard he stumbled back a few steps.

"Baby-" Leo started.

"Shut up! Don't 'baby' me!" Cristiano yelled. Leo grabbed his arm, shaking it in frustration while Cristiano tried to pull away. "I knew that - that little -that little Brazilian _twink motherfucker_ was trying to get in your pants! I knew he couldn't be trusted!" he shouted furiously.

"You don't understand, Cris, it was just a heat of the moment thing - I didn't even realize what he was doing! - I swear I pushed him away as soon as I could - please, baby," Leo begged, trying to grab hold of Cristiano's arm, desperate to explain and make the younger man listen to him. Cris jerked away angrily, stomping back into the bedroom and grabbing an overnight bag from the closet, carelessly shoving his clothes into it. Panic welled up in Leo and he grabbed the bag away from Cris, tossing it to the side while Cristiano glared down at him.

"Give that back," Cristiano protested. Leo grabbed his arms, trying to hold him in place.

"Baby, baby I'm sorry. Please listen to me," he said desperately, his heart pounding, his stomach twisted into knots. His vision was blurry with tears and his head was swimming, making him sway a bit on his feet. The prospect of losing Cris after everything they'd been through together was too much to bear. "Neymar has a crush on me and I swear I didn't know, I didn't realize, I should have ... I should have known and I should have told you. He's the one who kissed me and I didn't even realize what he was going to do until it was too late and you were there and I -" Leo took a deep breath, fingers digging into Cristiano's arms helplessly, tears spilling from his eyes. He hated to cry, especially in front of other people, but he couldn't stop it. They flowed out of his eyes, his lips trembling, his voice shaking as he spoke. "I would never, _never_ cheat on you. Not ever. Baby, please believe me."

Cristiano was staring down at him, face looking injured and broken, his pouty bottom lip wobbling. "Why didn't you tell me Neymar felt that way about you?"

Leo lowered his head, forehead bumping against Cristiano's shoulder. "Because I'm an idiot," he mumbled, sniffling pitifully. "I'm not good with this stuff, baby. I didn't know how to tell you. I can't make excuses or try to make it ok," he said, taking a shaky breath. "I was wrong and I'm sorry."

He heard Cris let out a loud sigh, then felt long tanned arms wrap around his waist. "I'm mad at you. Don't think this is me forgiving you because it's not," Cristiano mumbled. Leo nodded into his shoulder, inhaling the coconut scent of him and trying to hold back the tears falling from his eyes like drops of rain. 

"I'm an asshole," Leo murmured against Cris' neck.

"Yeah. Sometimes, yeah you are. This whole thing has been really hard on me too, you know," he said. Leo just nodded. He'd been neglecting Cristiano's feelings, so wrapped up in how hard it was for him to be an out gay footballer that he hadn't bothered to ask Cristiano how he'd been handling it. "Everyone thinks I'm a gold digger. That I'm using you for your money and don't really care about you. You should see the names they call me."

Leo skimmed his hands up Cristiano's back, trying to soothe him. "Come on, baby, let's go sit down and talk. Ok? You can tell me everything that's bothering you. I know I've been so wrapped up in myself lately."

"You haven't touched me since we were outed. Are you afraid to? Are you ashamed of me? Of being in love with a man? When I saw you kissing Neymar I thought - everything made sense suddenly. You being so distant, us not making love for so long. Tell me I'm wrong, daddy," Cristiano sobbed, grabbing onto Leo as Leo shook his head desperately. "Tell me you aren't fucking him."

"No!" Leo whispered brokenly, arms sliding around Cristiano's shoulders, standing on his tiptoes to get him as close to the other man as possible. "No, baby, I swear. I don't want him like that, I only want you. I swear, I swear," he mumbled desperately. Cristiano's grip on him was almost crushing, he could feel wetness soaking his shirt from his boyfriend sobbing onto his shoulder. His heart felt as if it had sunk to his feet, a wave a guilt washing over him at the knowledge that he was the cause of the broken sobbing coming from the man he loved most in the world. 

"Baby, I'm so sorry I wasn't honest with you," he murmured in a voice thick with emotion. "I won't do it again. I should have come straight to you and told you as soon as I knew but I just ... it was so hard. I didn't know what to say or how to say it and I - but I'm not going to make excuses. I was an asshole," he sniffled. "I was wrong. I'm so sorry, baby."

Cristiano's sobs quieted a bit, reduced to soft hiccups and trembling breaths as Leo rubbed his broad back. "Do you love me?" Cristiano asked in a pitiful voice. Leo's stomach twisted in pain, in guilt that he had made Cristiano doubt him.

"More than anything. More than anything, _mi vida_ ," Leo murmured genuinely, tilting his head to the side when he felt Cristiano's soft lips on his neck. 

Cristiano took another shaky breath. "Show me."

Leo nodded, taking Cristiano by the hand and leading him toward their bedroom.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cris and Leo reconnect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is just porn! Cris calls Leo 'daddy' a lot so beware if that isn't your thing. Hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> Find me on [tumblr!](http://lionaldo.tumblr.com)

The feel of Cristiano's lithe naked body against his was so overwhelmingly wonderful it nearly brought tears to Leo's eyes.

He hadn't realized how much he'd been missing it, Cristiano pressed tight against him, kissing him all over as Leo caressed that smooth tanned skin. It filled his heart with warmth, made the nightmare of the past few weeks fade to the back of his mind, practically forgotten. That familiar coconut scent filled his head and made his cock strain against his jeans, the pressure nearly unbearable. He'd had no relief since the news of his sexuality broke besides a few furtive jerk off sessions in his shower, none of which had brought him any real satisfaction. Leo practically trembled with need and the desire to worship Cristiano's beautiful chiseled body.

"Papi," Cristiano gasped, eagerly shucking his clothes off. Leo stared at him, his long limbs, his smooth skin, letting his hand caressing the other man's powerful thighs. He could practically feel them around his waist already, squeezing and clamping tight enough to bruise while he babbled in Portuguese, begging helplessly for more. Leo grabbed the other man around his slim waist and practically tackled him onto his back on his big soft bed, running his hands over every bit of skin he could reach. Cristiano arched up into his touch and tugged eagerly at Leo's clothes, trying to strip him naked. Leo was quick to comply, stripping down until he was bared completely, and he pressed up tight against the younger man, reveling in the feel of their bodies pressing together. Cristiano always ran a bit hot and he was scorching now, his tanned skin flushed red with arousal, from his cheeks all the way down his chest. Leo kissed that long neck lovingly, struggling to follow Cris when he leaned over to grab the lube off the nightstand.

"I can't take it, stop teasing me," Cristiano panted, clumsily slicking his fingers up with lube and burying them between his legs. Leo couldn't see what he was doing but it was easy enough to guess when Cris' face twisted up in mild discomfort, a soft hiss escaping through his clenched teeth. Leo soothed him lovingly, nuzzling at his neck and reaching down to stroke Cristiano's cock as he fingered himself open. Leo couldn't bear to be separated from him, not even by inches, not even for a moment, keeping their bodies pressed as tightly together as he could while he licked and bit at that tanned throat. He was leaving marks everywhere, marks that would be very visible above the collar of Cristiano's shirt, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He was overwhelmed by the need to claim Cristiano as his, show the world regardless of what they said or thought, Cristiano was going to be by his side forever. 

"Want me to suck your cock, beautiful?" Leo asked huskily against Cristiano's ear. He was eager to bury his cock inside that tight body, but he could wait if Cristiano wanted him to. He never minded making the other man writhe while he swallowed that gorgeous cock. Cristiano seemed a bit distressed though, shaking his head as his hand moved between his thighs.

"No, I need you to fuck me," he pleaded, parting his legs as wide as they'd go. He pulled his fingers out of himself and grabbed Leo's cock, smearing the leftover lube onto him. Leo gasped, shuddering at the touch, a bolt of pleasure shooting up his spine. He was so wound up, so needy and eager, he had no idea how he was going to last. Cristiano, luckily, seemed just as worked up as Leo was, and he tugged him forward, slim body squirming under Leo's. Leo frowned just a bit - Cristiano clearly wasn't as stretched and relaxed as normal, and Leo didn't want to hurt him.

The younger man seemed insistent, though, yanking Leo's hair hard enough to make his eyes water, wrapping his long legs so tight around Leo's waist that he couldn't have pulled away even if he'd wanted to.

"Baby, are you sure? It's been a while and you're not - " Leo words were interrupted quickly by Cristiano grabbing his head and pulling him down for a hard kiss. A copper tang bloomed on his taste buds as his lip was split by the force of the kiss, blood smearing over both their mouths. 

"I can take it. I promise I can," Cristiano panted, looking desperate as he locked eyes with Leo. "Fuck me, daddy."

Leo's head fell forward onto Cristiano's shoulder - he could never have refused a plea like that. Grasping his cock, he pushed into Cristiano with a ragged groan. It was sinfully tight and almost unbearably hot, Cristiano's barely-prepared rim gripping at his cock. He had to be hurting, but those strong thighs just clamped around Leo's waist, holding him still, keeping him from pulling away. Leo could only sink in further and further until he was buried to the hilt, his body trembling uncontrollably at the silky heat surrounding him. He had to take deep breathes in a desperate and futile attempting to calm himself down before he came embarrassingly fast, but it was nearly impossible with his beautiful boyfriend writhing and moaning under him like something out of a wet dream.

"Are you ok, baby?" Leo asked softly. Cristiano was moaning, grabbing at him desperately and pushing his hips up even though he was still letting out little pained hisses.

"I'm perfect, papi. It hurts a bit ... but I need it, I need you to fuck me," he pleads, panting raggedly and burying his fingers in Leo's hair. Leo's hips moved of their own accord, thrusting deeply but gently into Cristiano's eager body. His hands shook as they gripped the other man's waist, face buried in Cristiano's shoulder. He knew if he looked too long at Cris' face, eyes glassy, mouth parted in pleasure, he wouldn't be able to hold back his orgasm. It was hard enough with just the feel of that slick tight hole gripping his cock, and of course the obscene moans and cries he was letting out as Leo pushed into him. It got a bit easier to move with each passing moment, and soon Leo was rocking his hips smoothly, spearing the other man on his cock.

"God, beautiful, I'm not going to last," Leo croaks, hips moving as if on a piston, feeling Cristiano lift his ass up eagerly each time he bottomed out. The sound of it was obscene, their sweaty flesh smacking together, the slicking sounds of Leo's cock plunging into Cristiano's firm perky ass over and over. He growled low in his throat, sounding more animal than human as he grabbed Cris' ankles and pushed them back and apart. He went up on his knees between Cris' spread legs and slammed in as deep as he could, staring shamelessly as his cock stretched that pink rim wide. Cristiano's eyes were glassy and dark as he gazed up at Leo, his long fingers curling around his cock to stroke himself while Leo fucked him. 

"It's ok, you can come. I'm so close already," he whimpered, reaching up with his free hand to tug at Leo's nipples, sending a jolt of pleasure spiraling down into Leo's belly. "Come inside me, daddy."

Leo didn't think he'd ever get tired of hearing that. That ragged plea was all it took to send Leo tumbling over the edge, hips moving in short, frenetic jerks as he spilled inside his boyfriend. Cristiano must have known what was happening because he moaned hungrily and wrapped his legs around Leo's waist again, gripping him tight as his hand pumped his cock. Leo reached down to help him, thumb rubbing against the slick reddened tip of Cristiano's cock, making the other man's body jerk in pleasure. Leo felt wetness on his fingers, saw Cristiano's back arching up as he came with a loud cry. His orgasm had sapped his energy and he fell forward, collapsing onto Cristiano. Long slender arms wound around him, soft lips pressing against his forehead. 

Cristiano whispered softly into his hair. "I love you." Leo let out a soft pleased moan, cuddling close to the other man. "Just rest here, papi. I'll get us both cleaned up."

Leo just nodded. He was so tired and sated he could barely keep his eyes open, just gave Cristiano's hand a squeeze and murmured out a quiet "I love you too, baby" before falling into a deep sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter is here! Thank you all for sticking with me through this whole thing and I hope you all enjoy the final piece of this! 
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://lionaldo.tumblr.com)!

"I don't know why you're nervous. You know you're going to win," Cristiano said.

"First of all, no, I don't know. Secondly, that's not what I'm nervous about," Leo replied, staring out the tinted window of the limousine.

He heard Cristiano let out a soft groan, as if Leo was being completely unreasonable. "You worry too much. Everything will be all right, daddy."

Leo couldn't help but wince. There was a twinge low in his belly as there always was whenever Cris called him that, but it took a backseat to the concern of the younger man slipping up in front of his peers, the people he respected most in the business. Not to mention the cameras and journalists that would be crawling all over the place. "Cristiano, you _cannot_ call me daddy in front of these people."

Cris, bratty as ever, gave him a bright, innocent smile. "Yes, daddy."

Leo just groaned.

**

It was like the press had some kind of radar. As soon as the limo pulled up in front of the venue they were immediately swarmed by journalists and photographers all clamoring to get to them and to be the first to snap a picture of him and Cristiano at their formal "coming out" event, as it had been branded. Leo wanted to tell the driver to keep going, drive them as far away from this circus as possible - but this was the Ballon d'Or. And Leo was the favorite to win. He couldn't skip it no matter how much he wanted to.

"Daddy," Cris said softly, kissing Leo's cheek. "It'll be all right. Come on, let's go now, we can't hide in the limo forever. Besides, my mom wants to see pictures of me in my new tuxedo," Cristiano smiled. Leo glanced at him wryly.

"Cristiano, you've posted at least 25 pictures of yourself dressed up in your tux since it was delivered last week. I'm sure your mother has seen and liked every single one of them," Leo said playfully. Cris just nudged his shoulder.

"Shut up. It's different like this and you know it. I'm just glad I managed to talk you out of that awful gaudy suit you originally picked out," Cris teased. Leo scoffed at him, offended.

"It was not gaudy. I was ... colorful," Leo said firmly. Cris just rolled his eyes and nudged him again.

"Come on, papi, let's goooo," he whined childishly. Leo rolled his eyes and gave his boyfriend one last kiss before taking a deep breath and opening the limo door.

The crush was immediate. Leo worried for a moment that they'd all tumble into the limousine, but suddenly there was security there pulling the photographers back, forcing separation between them and Leo and Cris. Leo knew his face was giving away how annoyed and upset he was - fortunately most of the attention seemed to be on Cristiano, who was handling the situation with aplomb. He was beaming, flashing his million dollar smile at every camera he could find, posing like a professional model while camera flashes went off like bolts of lightning. It was blinding, making Leo's eyes water, and he didn't linger on the red carpet for long before he was tugging Cris into the venue. The journalists followed them, asking so many questions all at once that Leo couldn't have answered even if he'd wanted to. It was making him a bit lightheaded, and once he was inside the venue he closed his eyes and leaned against a wall, blinking the spots out of his eyes.

"Are you ok, Leo?" Cristiano asked softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. Leo took another deep breath and nodded, trying to shrug off the hysterics he'd just been trapped in.

"Yeah. Yes, I'm fine, baby. Let's find our seats," he said softly, linking his fingers with Cristiano's.

This was another part of the night he was dreading. Neymar was nominated for the award as well - the rehearsals had been awkward, with Ney avoiding him entirely, speaking only when asked a direct question. He hadn't pushed the issue, figuring it was better to let Neymar come to him rather than force the young Brazilian and make everything even more uncomfortable. 

At least things had been improving with his mother. His father had even called him to wish him luck the night before the award show - while the conversation had been brief and a bit distant, it was at least a step in the right direction. There was still a long way to go, but Leo was more hopeful now than he'd ever been before that things would go back to normal eventually. The news about Cristiano being a hooker still hadn't broken - Leo figured his clients were probably reticent to come out for fear of exposing themselves as well as Cristiano, bit if it did, they'd deal with that the same way they'd been dealing with everything else - together. Their bond was strong, forged through this shared hardship, and Leo knew that nothing could break them apart.

He squeezed Cristiano's hand as he sat down, giving the younger man a kiss on the cheek. Cris looked at him in mild surprise, a happy little smile on his face. Despite all the pain and humiliation of the last few weeks, it was nice to be able to be openly affectionate with the man he loved. Neymar was already there and staring straight ahead, offering him a coolly polite greeting when he took his seat. Cristiano looked like he wanted to say something but Leo shook his head at the younger man, just giving his hand a firm squeeze. This wasn't the time or the place.

**

They thankfully had the ceremony to distract them and prevent any more awkward silences. It was no different than past years, barring a quick video package about Leo's impact, being openly gay in football, and the ripple affects that his outing had had around the world - which, while nice, made Leo want to hide in a hole. Having his personal life exposed like this was a nightmare, but he supposed he'd have to learn to deal. The messages he'd gotten from young gay kids thanking him for being an inspiration to him made it all more bearable, at least. Even if he still felt like a fraud. He wasn't sure that feeling would ever go away, but he tried to focus on the positives rather than dwell on the negatives. No matter how it had happened, him being out was helping people. The only thing he could do now was make the most out of a bad situation. Even Cristiano was making the most of it, getting involved with charities that helped homeless LGBT youth. He'd seemed happier lately too, like he'd found a new sense of purpose in life - not to mention it was going a long way toward getting the press to stop calling him a gold digger. The criticism was still there of course, and probably always would be, but if Cris could find his calling in life by promoting charities and visiting shelters and hospitals, then the negative voices would be much easier to block out.

He was so lost in thought that Cris had to nudge him when it was time to announce the winner of the Golden Ball. He knew he was the favorite, but he never liked to assume anything, so he still felt nervous butterflies fluttering in his stomach as the names of the nominees were read off. A bright smile spread across his face as he was announced as the winner, leaning over to give Cristiano a quick kiss before he walked up the steps to collect the award. It was a bit awkward - he knew everyone would be watching to see if he mentioned Cris. He found that all a bit silly - of course he was going to mention his boyfriend. He hadn't prepared a speech, preferring to speak from the heart instead.

"Thank you for this award. To FIFA and everyone who voted for me, I offer my sincere gratitude, and I would also like to thank my parents, my entire family for supporting my football obsession all these years, my coach and all my teammates. I wouldn't win anything if it wasn't for all of you. Of course, I would also like to thank...my boyfriend, Cristiano, who has been there for me through thick and thin, who has supported me through the rough times and the good, who I can't imagine my life without. I love you," he said softly, listening to the crowd let out a collective 'aww' as they began applauding. Quickly, he made his way backstage. Cristiano and Neymar would both be heading out that way and he was hoping to have the chance to speak to Ney, to hopefully work things out between them. 

A few moments passed though without anyone approaching him. When he glanced around he saw only crew and guests mingling about, a few who stopped to congratulate him before moving on to their families. Frowning, Leo moved through the crowd, searching through the throng of people for Cris. After a few moments he finally found his boyfriend ... talking to Neymar. He almost started to rush over when he saw that they didn't appear to be fighting, merely chatting, even smiling a bit here and there. He decided to hang back - whatever was happening seemed private and Leo didn't want to make things awkward. Once Neymar was finished, they shook hands and parted ways, Cris making his way over to Leo with a smile.

"Hey! Congratulations," Cristiano said with a smile, leaning down to kiss Leo chastely. Leo took his hand and squeezed gently.

"What - what were you and Neymar talking about?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Cristiano saw right through his act and laughed softly, stroking his hair. 

"It's ok, Leo, don't worry. It was nothing bad. He just wanted to apologize to me for kissing you and he said he finally saw how much you love me when you were giving your speech. He asked me to apologize to you for him, as well. Oh, and he asked me to tell you that he's going to 'try not to be such a dick during training,'" Cristiano quoted as he grinned. Leo felt his stomach unknot itself. 

"That's - that's so good to hear, baby," he said softly, smiling up at Cris. 

"Try not to be too hard on him. It's rough, having a crush on someone who doesn't feel the same about you. But he's young, he'll find someone. I know a guy who might be good for him actually," Cris grinned. "His name is James. Maybe we can invite them over for dinner one day, try to hook them up."

Leo laughed a bit. "Calm down, baby. I know you enjoy playing matchmaker but you can't force these things. Let's wait a while, then we'll see what happens," He suggested, rubbing Cristiano's back. Cris pouted a bit but nodded in understanding.

"All right, all right," he smiled with a playful sigh. "Come on, we need to go celebrate your win! This is a very big deal," he said happily, taking Leo's hand and leading him out to the limo through the throng of security and photographers all eagerly snapping pictures of them walking hand in hand.

"It's the fifth time I've won Cris, I'm more or less used to it," Leo said with a laugh. He twined their fingers together, enjoying the warm squeeze of his boyfriend's hand. 

"Yes, but it's the first time you've won since you started dating me, and that makes it a big deal. I'll take you home and make you dinner, then give you a nice long massage. And maybe something else," he grinned. 

Leo smiled playfully as they climbed into the limo, hearing the clunk of the door shutting behind them. "Can we skip dinner and go straight to the something else?" he asked with a teasing grin. Cristiano shook a finger in his face.

"Não, Lionel. Besides, you get 'something else' all the time! Let me dote on you for a while."

Leo put his hand to his forehead dramatically, huffing out a loud sigh. "You ask me for so much," he said in a mock-wail. "But I suppose I'll survive."

Cristiano slapped his arm, then drew him in for a long, loving kiss. Leo let himself sink into it, his arms winding around the other man. It was the perfect ending to a perfect night.


End file.
